Vol. 21 No.5 September-Octorber 2001Syringes

• We tested 9 brands of 5 ml syringes - Dr Safe, Dispovan, Medisafe, Pricon, Injecto, Corelife, B-D, Doctor, Mediflo and 10 brands of 2 ml syringes - Dispovan, Pricon, Medisafe, Injecto, Doctor, Healthcare, Corelife, B-D, Getwel, Mediflo.
  
• Dr Safe was the top scorer in the 5 ml category, while Dispovan was the top scorer in the 2 ml category.
  
• Prices for 5 ml syringes ranged from Rs 3.30 (B-D) to Rs 5.90(Doctor). In the 2 ml category also, B-D was the least priced at Rs 2.90 and Doctor was the most expensive at Rs 5.40.
  
• All brands passed in the critical parameters of sterility, toxicity and pyrogens.
  
• Among the 5 ml brands, only two (Dr Safe, Medisafe) and among the 2 ml brands, only four (Dispovan, Pricon, Medisafe and Doctor) were found clean.
  
• Lubricants were visible as particles in Medisafe, Pricon, Injecto, Corelife, Doctor and Mediflo - 5 ml and Doctor, Corelife, Getwel and Mediflo - 2 ml.
  
• Dr Safe, B-D, Medisafe, Doctor and Mediflo - 5 ml and Pricon, Medisafe and Mediflo - 2 ml had leakage problems.
  
• B-D (2ml and 5 ml) and Dispovan (2 ml) were the only brands conforming to all the requirements for graduations.
  
• Mediflo, Doctor - 5ml and Mediflo, Medisafe and Healthcare - 2 ml, did not have the required length of the plunger.

Needles

• We tested six brands of 22 G needles and seven brands of 23 G needles : B-D, Sterican, Safti, Corelife, Dispovan, Medisafe and Mediflo. Expect Medisafe, all the brands had 22 G and 23 G needles.
  
• B-D and Sterican were the top scorers in the 22 G category while Sterican was the top scorer in the 23 G category.
  
• The prices of both 22 G and 23 G of each brand were the same. While Dispovan priced at Rs. 1.75 was the least expensive, - was the most expensive at Rs. 2.01.
  
• Mediflo (23-G) was the only brand found unsterile.
  
• All brands passed in the toxicity and pyrogens parameter.
  
• Mediflo (22 G) was found to be unclean.
  
• Mediflo (22 G) and corelife (23 G) had excess lubricant on them.
  
• The joint between the hub and the needle tube should be strong enough to resist breakage. This joints of Dispovan, corelife and Mediflo (22 G) and Dispovan, Corelife, Mediflo and Medisafe (23 G) buckled under the force applied.

Insulin Syringes

• We tested three brands of U-100 insulin syringes (B-D, Omnican, Dispovan) and five brands of U-40 insulin syringes (Dispovan, B-D, Nipro, Omnican, Medisafe).
  
• While B-D was the top scorer in the U-100 segment, Dispovan and B-D were the top scorers in the U-40 category.
  
• None of the brands met the requirements of Markings specified by the IS.
  
• Medisafe (U-100) could not meet the BIS specifications for graduated scale.

 

Details of the test report can be had in INSIGHT

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